On past visits to Chicago, I discovered why it's often called the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, wandered through neighborhoods that are enclaves of cultural diversity, and waited - and waited - as my wife took advantage of the city's well-deserved reputation as a shopping Mecca.

Which is why during my most recent trip there, I focused on a different way to experience the Windy City. I sampled the diverse group of more than 40 museums that serve as another claim to fame.

I was immediately mesmerized by the beauty and tranquility of the Ming Dynasty Chinese garden through which I was strolling. Images of intricately sculpted roofs and covered walkways are reflected in jade-green pools. Growths of willow, bamboo and other delicate plant life are set against a backdrop of graceful pavilions and gazebos.

This magnificent setting could well be in China - but it isn't. Instead, it is half a world away from in Vancouver, Canada, a city that has the second largest number of Chinese residents in North America, after San Francisco.

All the Innsbruck villages offer a vast array of outdoor activities, but the glory of traveling from town to town is in the differences between them, and the unique contributions each makes to the journey.

This combination of French flair and lush tropical surroundings is among many enticing attractions of Martinique. An unmistakable continental chic is evident in countless ways. Just one example: even tiny neighborhood convenience stores are well-stocked with fresh-baked baguettes, pates, fine cheeses and other gourmet treats.

I am a hiker. But at home, no one uses a machete to blaze the trail prior to walking on it as Souza, our Amazon guide, did, creating a path in the overgrown rainforest step by step. Slicing, swatting, swooping, chopping, no branch, bush, vine or twig was safe.

Curacao, an island with an intriguing history; some of the best shopping, diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean, and an architectural gem of a mini-city that combines European and tropical touches.

If you haven't finished, or perhaps even started, your holiday gift shopping for people who travel, or need ideas for presents at any time of year, don't despair. The wide array of available choices, ranging in price from free to break-the-bank expensive, is likely to include something that will be welcomed by everyone on your list, no matter what age group they fit in.

There are many reasons to visit Stewart Island other than the kiwi. Alternately described as isolated, insular, undeveloped, natural, wild, Stewart Island beckons in a way few modern destinations do. The downside? All the things that make it so appealing as a destination (unless, of course, you're looking for luxury resorts and chic nightclubs) might themselves be ultimately destroyed by those to whom it so appeals. Hopefully, it's inaccessibility -- if the flights or ferry can't travel because of the weather, neither can the tourists - and its uber-emphasis on conservation might preserve it against the expected onslaught.

Located 90 miles south of Las Vegas, Laughlin, Nev. is a resort destination with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere that welcomes 4.5 million visitors annually.

The area that imaginative tourism officials today call "Riviera Maya" 2000 years ago was part of the powerful empire of the Mayans that encompassed a large swath of Central America. By the time of Christ, they were building vast cities whose remnants still awe. Other accomplishments included gaining a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and math, devising a complex hieroglyphic alphabet and developing a calendar that was more accurate than the one we use today.

We do celebrate the seasons in Arizona. Our Great State is one of the few states that tout all seven temperate zones. From the lower Sonoran Desert Basin to the Alpine Zone, we have it all. You just have to know where to go to experience it! In fact, it is said that you can snow ski and water ski in the same day in the State of Arizona. In our state, you can drive from the arid zones of a desert to the tall pines atop and back on any given day.

As the four-wheel drive Land cruiser bounces along a pockmarked dirt trail through the savanna, two lions casually cross directly in our path, their proud bearing befitting the King of Beasts. Beyond them, a hillside is dotted with countless zebra and wildebeast, which take turns grazing on the tall golden grass and glancing nervously at the large cats. Perched in the branches of an umbrella-shaped acacia tree, members of a family of baboons also multitask, observing the action below as they carefully pick insects from each other's fur.

Thus begins another day on safari in Tanzania. Whether marveling at the size of lumbering elephants up close, gazing at graceful giraffes as they nibble on tender treetop branches or excitedly watching in awe as a sleek cheetah overtakes an antelope with a dazzling burst of speed, an animal-viewing excursion to Africa is many a traveler's once-in-a-lifetime dream trip.

Welcome to Tunisia, a modern, moderate Muslim country perched jauntily at the tip of North Africa where more than 2000 Jews thrive in the midst of their Muslim neighbors. And they've been doing so for over 2000 years.

Young boys study Hebrew in preparation for their Bar Mitzvah. A Jewish goldsmith designs jewelry in his shop. The Rabbi reads from the Torah in the synagogue. All very common experiences in Jewish neighborhoods around the world, but ones you don't often, if ever, see in an Arab country in the Middle East.

Breath-holding beauty. Harrowing 4-wheel drives. Unique geologic formations. History of the earth and of the country -- Thy Name is Utah

Cited as a "technological marvel," the Newseum presents five centuries of news history over 7 floors, 14 galleries, 15 theaters and 130 hands-on exhibits with the focus on the story behind the stories, where how news is made and how it is reported is itself the big news.

Summer travel can be rewarding, refreshing and exciting -- and expensive. But travelers can plan summer escapes that don't strain their budgets....

If you like riding trains to see spectacular scenery, Colorado is the state for you.

It has all the markings of a five-star hotel -- impeccable service, remarkable attention to detail, gourmet food and presentation, incomparable views -- but this vacation getaway is hurtling across the Canadian Rockies on train tracks. Welcome aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, traveling from Vancouver to Banff/Calgary and trying very hard to live up to its self-proclaimed designation as "the most spectacular train trip in the world." I'll go with certainly one of...

Western Montana may not exactly qualify as a safari destination. But the proliferation of its resident wildlife, combined with a paucity of people, explains why some have called it "America's Serengeti." That refers to the area of Tanzania in Africa that is famous for its teeming and varied animal life.

When preparing for a trip, many people know just how easy it is to overpack. A few extra T-shirts here, some extra pairs of socks there, and suddenly your bags are bulging and your arms are aching from carrying them.

SAN FRANCISCO -- What could be more pleasant for visitors to San Francisco than spending a day or two exploring some of the city's diverse cultural attractions?

If you haven't been to San Diego Wild Animal Park in northern San Diego County, you've missed one of the world's great animal-watching experiences.